European United Left/Nordic Green Left European Parliamentary Group

MEPs say ‘No’ to Commission GMO approvals

24/10/2017

"The EU Parliament is stuck in groundhog day as MEPs object to more GM authorisations."

Today the European Parliament sent an objection to the Commission against the approval of three new Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) intended for commercialisation and use in the food chain. These are GM Soybean, GM oilseed rape and GM maize 1507.

The objections were made on the basis that the Commission’s decisions exceeded its implementing powers because they were made without due scrutiny from competent bodies and despite a clear rejection from the Parliament.

MEPs also expressed concern about the lack of impact assessments on public health and the environment, pointing out the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) risk assessment as insufficient and inappropriate.

GUE/NGL MEP Lynn Boylan reminded the Commission about the application of the precautionary principle - detailed in Article 191 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union - as necessary:

"The EU Parliament is stuck in groundhog day as MEPs object to more GM authorisations. This is the umpteenth time that we have objected to the GM authorisation procedure.”

“It is beyond frustrating to have a situation whereby President Juncker admits that the procedure is undemocratic but yet his Commission fails to bring forward a credible alternative. Instead they continue to pursue the same route over and over again.”

The Irish MEP warned against the dangers of GMOs:

“GM food and feed crops are constructed in such a way as to allow wide and intensive use of non-selective herbicides and pesticides. This is creating a situation in which farmers are trapped in a vicious circle of over-reliance.”

“Herbicide resistant GM crops are not the solution, they are destroying biodiversity while creating herbicide resistant 'superweeds'. That is not the future we want for our precious environmental resources,” she concluded.